Human-ecosystem interactions and sustainability

Our research on nature and sustainable resource use focuses on the concepts of natural capital and ecosystem services, environmental sustainability of鈥痩and use, novel indicators of biodiversity and strong environmental sustainability, and sustainable and鈥痟ealthy food systems.

At the UCL听Institute for Sustainable Resources, we recognise that the natural world is the source of all the resources that support human life and well-being.听A healthy environment and a sustainable use of these natural resources are pre-requisites for human health and enduring prosperity.听We collaborate closely with researchers at the听UCL听Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research and the UCL Institute for Global Prosperity to illuminate the linkages and interdependencies between the economy, the environment, and the use of natural resources.听

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Research areas

Our research on nature and sustainable resource use focuses on the concepts of natural capital and ecosystem services, environmental sustainability of land use, novel indicators of biodiversity and strong environmental sustainability, and sustainable and healthy food systems.听

Sustainable and healthy food systems

Our team of academic staff, researchers and postgraduate students works at the global scale on issues related to agricultural production and its environmental impacts, from water resources to biodiversity and climate change.听We collaborate on research projects with ecologists at the UCL Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research and epidemiologists at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine听to get a broader perspective on the bilateral relationships between food production and biodiversity, and on the effects of food systems on human health.听For the international, interdisciplinary Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems听project, we are contributing novel indicators of biodiversity pressure and water debt, to quantify the trade-offs between the healthy foods we need, and the impact of land-use change for agriculture on the environment at home and via international trade.听We are also leading a NERC-supported interdisciplinary collaboration with the Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research听to identify crops vulnerable to pollinator declines in South Africa and potential impacts on global trade partners.

Natural capital & ecosystem services

As part of the next phase of the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence of the Office for National Statistics, the UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources听will be undertaking research to help the Office for National Statistics improve its accounting for natural capital and the ecosystem services it produces. This work is due to start in autumn 2023 and continue through to 2025.

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Strong environmental sustainability

Research funded by the French Agency for International Development听built on a PhD project that calculated a Strong Environmental Sustainability Index听and Strong Environmental Sustainability Progress Index听for EU countries and the UK. The听Agency for International Development work involved using the same approach in Kenya and Vietnam, and a follow-on project is now underway in South Africa and Colombia. Academic papers include three by Usubiaga and Ekins, and several other papers are on the .听

Global land use and听demand-driven food in a decarbonised energy system

Research funded by the听Supergen Bioenergy Hub is focusing on global land use change. This work has听quantified听global land use associated with agricultural production and a decarbonized energy system,听as well as听the implications for biodiversity conservation听within a harmonised food and bioenergy sector. Moreover, this research is expanding towards the assessment of global water use, within an integrated system of food and energy demand. 听

Research stories

A picture of biscuits with chocolate spread

Looking at the biodiversity impact of biscuits

Using UCL Global Engagement Funds, we worked with collaborators across UCL and other UK and European institutions to quantify the biodiversity pressures associated with common biscuit ingredients (wheat, sugar, palm oil, and cocoa).

By using more land to feed growing populations, biodiversity is being lost. Our team of researchers is confronting the balancing act of health and environment – and revealing the hidden global impacts of consumption. Read this article in The Bartlett Review discussing healthy food versus biodiversity.

Recent projects

SHEFS project - Genevieve Okech, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
(collaboration with the University of Southampton).听

Human-ecosystem interactions and sustainability听in teaching

Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment听MSc

Natural and capital and ecosystem services, and strong sustainability, are covered in two of the core modules of Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment MSc: Environmental and Resources Economics; Environmental Measurement, Assessment and Law. The concepts are also covered in a number of the optional modules, including Business and Sustainability. We also support MSc dissertations. An example听听dissertation title we have supported is 鈥淓xploring the ability of sustainability indicators to measure sustainability鈥�.

Doctoral Research (PhD)

Our doctoral researchers cover a broad range of topics in the broader context of our UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources vision and themes, looking at factors related to both the physical environment and people.听

Doctoral research relating to human-ecosystem interactions and sustainability:

鈥� 'A composite indicator for anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity.'听
鈥� 'Trading water pollution permits in the U.K.'
Arianna Buratto 鈥� EPSRC Studentship -听'Behavioural economics of food production and consumption for environmental sustainability.'
Mark Jwaideh听- EPSRC Studentship -听'Freshwater and marine impacts of fertiliser used in agriculture worldwide.'听